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Tyler Hunnex - I started/founded/began Let's Go Birds in September of 2007 after feeling like my favorite Junior Hockey team needed more discussion and analysis. I'm statistically minded, forever frustrated by the Tbirds and my all-time favorite player was #10. I think I'm funny and my writing would probably disagree. Follow me on Twitter @TylerHunnex.

Jon Whiting - Jon joined the Let's Go Birds team in the summer of 2013. His passion for the Thunderbirds is as big as any fan I've ever met. His two kids are named after former Tbirds and his favorite all-time players were Patrick Marleau and Olaf "Ole" Kjenstad, who he swears is the best pure scoring Tbird ever.

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5.14.2012

Two Trades

Seattle made two trades last week that could have an impact on the team next season.

The first trade most certainly will. Seattle acquires 20 year old goaltender Brandon Glover from the Calgary Hitmen in exchange for a 3rd round bantam selection. Glover's numbers in the regular season were somewhat pedestrian with a record of 20-12, 3.11 GAA and an .885 Save%. He really stepped up his game in the playoffs for the Hitmen going 1-1-1 in 4 games with a 1.87 GAA and a .941 Save% that lead all WHL goaltenders in the playoffs. I haven't seen him play a ton but I'm told that this is a really solid pickup for the Tbirds. I'm a little surprised at the cost being a 3rd round bantam selection but Ty Rimmer netted a 2nd and a 3rd round pick so this was definitely the going rate for landing a 20 year old goaltender.

What does this mean? Well I think this officially puts Chance Lund and Brendan Rouse on notice. I think Brad Deagle is a lock for the team because of an overall lack of defensive depth and I find it very hard to believe that Luke Lockhart wouldn't make the team after being your captain last season. Glover would obviously be the 3rd.

This also means that the backup goaltending job is probably wide open. The team clearly didn't feel comfortable with Daniel Cotton as a potential starter which means he probably isn't a lock to be the backup as well. Danny Mumaugh will be in the mix as well as Justin Myles and maybe Nolan Kruizenga.

Here are some highlights of Brandon Glover after he won WHL Goaltender of the Month for December this past season.

The second Seattle trade saw fan favorite Jacob Doty shipped out to Medicine Hat in exchange for 18 year old forward Riley Sheen. Doty is probably the most feared fighter in the WHL but he just wasn't ever able to contribute anything more than that. His skating didn't improve a whole lot and it appears that he demanded a trade thinking he should be getting more playing time than he got this past season. I think Doty is a great kid but I didn't see him with any kind of future with this team and for that reason alone I think this was a great trade.

Sheen could be a huge boom or bust player for the Tbirds. Where Doty was going to be a 19, Sheen is an 18... so the Tbirds gained a year (good) and they lost a lot of size. Sheen is listed at just 5'9" and 148 lbs. He had just 3 points in 43 games with the Tigers but added a goal and an assist in just 8 playoff games.

I don't know a lot about Sheen and I don't know why Medicine Hat would be willing to give him up to get Doty (and we might see why next season) but from the highlights I have seen, Seattle may have plucked a real sleeper here. Given a chance to play on the Power Play and play more of a scoring role I wouldn't be shocked to see Sheen flourish. I know the popular thing to do is rag on Russ Farwell and numerous people have commented here and elsewhere that they hope the Tbirds "get a new GM" and I think there is a ton of failure to go around when looking at the bantam draft selections over the past 5 season... having said that... Russ makes some pretty nifty trades and I have a feeling this may turn out to be one of the good ones.

7 comments
:

Anonymous
said...

I think I'd rather see Lund or Rouse stick with the team. All three players kill penalties, but Lockhart seems to have regressed from his 18 yr old season.

I'm happy to see that Sheen is a lefty, there are a lot of times when I think if only we had a lefty on the ice that rebound would have been perfect, of course you have to be in the right position to get it :)

I hope the goalie pickup means we are expecting to be improved enough to be in the playoffs. I thought Cotton played pretty well last year, I hope whoever the backup is this year gets more ice time so they can develop.

Back in November when the T-birds played in Calgary they scored 4 goals in the 1st period....against Chris Driedger. Driedger was pulled after that and Glover played the rest of the way and allowed only one goal over the next two periods. Two years ago vs. Moose Jaw Glover beat the T-birds 3-1.

I like Luke on the PK but other than that he has no offensive upside what so ever,at least not the last 2 years. Lund had a fair year last year improving his scoring but really tailed off the last month and half of the season, Rouse was hurt but there again, not allot of offensive potential that I seen. I say it's a toss up between Lund and Rouse for the other 20.

Can't believe there aren't more comments about the Doty trade. It is painful to see him leave, but he needs to be somewhere that will let him improve and develop his skill set. Reminds me of Kawsowka being traded after giving his all here. Thanks and kudos to Doty for his time in Seattle. He plays with passion and grit that make the WHL a little more tolerable a definitely a lot more entertaining.

Regarding the 20's, Deagle and Glover have to be locks, I'm thinking Rouse has a chance to stick around, he developed a nice chemistry with Honey and Troock once he got healthy. Ultimately it is Lockhart's spot to lose though.

Sorry to see Jake go. Folks do not truly appreciate what it takes to bring what he did to the ice. Toughest kid in the league at this point. I hope he gets an opportunity to tear up the east. Some of those boys are going to pee themselves the minute he steps out on the ice. Go get 'em #28.